The Twins beat the Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday and then proceeded to just crush them in the early innings of Game 2. In the midst of this, Nelson Cruz homered:
We show that because it was the 50th home run the Orioles have allowed this season. Yes, in the 22nd game, Alex Cobb coughed up the 50th home run for the Orioles pitching staff.
That isn't just a round-but-otherwise-arbitrary number. It tied the record for the most home runs allowed in a season before May 1.
On April 20!
It wasn't tied for long, either. Two batters after Cruz, C.J. Cron went yard. Mitch Garver would end up hitting two. Cruz would add another. Eddie Rosario hit one (again). Jonathan Schoop went deep twice in his old stomping grounds.
When the dust settled in Camden Yards, the Orioles had allowed 57 home runs through 22 games.
Only 21 teams in MLB history have ever allowed at least 40 home runs before the calendar turned to May. Here are the top five, and keep in mind the Orioles still have nine (!) whole games to add to this, weather-permitting.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
2019 Orioles, 571996 Tigers, 501994 Twins, 492018 Reds, 452001 Rangers, 43
2003 Blue Jays, 43
2016 Reds, 43
Oh, the humanity.
This one is really already a blowout and it's only going to get worse.
For those interested, the most home runs ever allowed in each month (when March/April and September/October are considered a "month" for baseball purposes):
March/April: 2018 Orioles, 57 and counting
May: 1964 Athletics, 57
June: 2017 Orioles and 2017 Reds, 54
July: 1962 A's and 1999 Rockies, 56
August: 2002 Rockies, 56
Sept./Oct.: 2004 Reds, 52
Uh oh. This is worse than previously imagined. The next homer gives the Orioles the all-time record for any month and they definitely aren't getting through eight more games without coughing one up. Embrace the dubious history or pray for lots of rain, O's fans.
